Chapter 14
SLK 110
General Concepts
● In this section, we will discuss
1. the medical model of abnormal behaviour.
2. The criteria of abnormal behaviour.
3. The classification of psychological disorders.
The Medical Model Applied to Abnormal Behaviour
● Medical model: Proposes that it is useful to think of abnormal behaviour as a
disease.
○ This point of view is the basis for many of the terms used to refer to
abnormal behaviour, including mental illness, psychological disorder and
psychopathology.
○ The medical model became the dominant way of thinking about abnormal
behaviour.
● Before the 18th century, most Western conceptions of abnormal behaviour were
based on superstition.
○ People who behaved strangely were thought to be possessed by demons, to
be witches working with the devil, or to be victims of God’s punishment.
○ The rise of the medical model brought improvements in the treatment of
those who showed abnormal behaviour.
○ Although living conditions in early asylums were often terrible, progress was
made toward more humane care of people who were mentally ill.
● It has recently suggested that the medical model may have outlived its usefulness.
1
, ○ Some critics are troubled because medical diagnoses of abnormal behaviour
place potentially insulting labels on people.
■ Carries a social stigma that can be difficult to shake off.
● These stereotypes promote distancing, disdain and rejection.
○ This prejudice is a significant source of stress for people who suffer mental
illness.
○ The stigma associated with psychological disorders prevents many people
from seeking the mental health care they need and could benefit from.
● The stigma associated with psychological disorders appears to be deeply rooted.
○ Many psychological disorders are at least partly attributable to genetic and
biological factors, making them appear more similar to physical illnesses,
which carry far less stigma.
■ Psychiatric disorders have increased.
○ Biogenetic explanations have also led to increased tendencies to view
psychological disorders as untreatable, and to view affected individuals as
unpredictable and dangerous, which has led to greater stigma.
● Medical concepts such as diagnosis, aetiology and prognosis have proven to be
valuable in the treatment and study of abnormality.
○ Diagnosis: Involves distinguishing one illness from another.
○ Aetiology: The apparent causation and developmental history of an illness.
○ Prognosis: A forecast about the probable course of an illness.
● These medically based concepts have widely shared meanings that allow clinicians,
researchers and the public to communicate more effectively in their discussions
about abnormal behaviour.
Page 2
,Criteria of Abnormal Behaviour
● When making a diagnosis, clinicians rely on a variety of criteria.
Deviance:
● Behaviour deviates from what their society considers acceptable.
● When people violate these standards and expectations, they may be labelled
mentally ill.
○ Eg. Transvestic fetishism is a sexual disorder in which a man achieves
sexual arousal by dressing in women’s clothing.
○ This behaviour is regarded as disordered because a man who wears a
dress, bra and stockings is deviating from our culture’s norms.
● The example shows how the idea of normality changes over time:
○ It may have been considered abnormal for a Western woman to wear
trousers in history, but today this is standard practice.
Maladaptive Behaviour:
● People are judged to have a psychological disorder because their everyday
adaptive behaviour is impaired.
○ This is the key criterion in the diagnosis of substance use (drug) disorders.
● The use of alcohol and drugs is not terribly unusual or deviant.
○ When the use of cocaine begins to interfere with a person’s social or
occupational functioning, a substance use disorder exists.
Page 3
, Personal Distress:
● The diagnosis of a psychological disorder is based on an individual’s report of
great personal distress.
● Usually the criterion is met by people who are troubled by depression or anxiety
disorders.
● People are usually labelled as having a disorder when they describe their personal
pain and suffering to friends, relatives and mental health professionals.
● 2 or 3 criteria may apply in a particular case, people often viewed as disordered
when 1 criterion is met.
● Diagnosis of psychological disorders involve value judgements about what
represents normal or abnormal behaviour.
○ These judgements reflect dominant cultural values, social trends and political
forces, as well as scientific knowledge.
● “Normal versus abnormal” and “mental health versus mental illness” imply that
people can be divided neatly into two distinct groups
○ In reality, it is often difficult to draw a line that clearly separates normality
from abnormality.
○ People are judged to have psychological disorders only when their behaviour
becomes extremely deviant, maladaptive or distressing.
○ Normality and abnormality exist on a spectrum.
Page 4
SLK 110
General Concepts
● In this section, we will discuss
1. the medical model of abnormal behaviour.
2. The criteria of abnormal behaviour.
3. The classification of psychological disorders.
The Medical Model Applied to Abnormal Behaviour
● Medical model: Proposes that it is useful to think of abnormal behaviour as a
disease.
○ This point of view is the basis for many of the terms used to refer to
abnormal behaviour, including mental illness, psychological disorder and
psychopathology.
○ The medical model became the dominant way of thinking about abnormal
behaviour.
● Before the 18th century, most Western conceptions of abnormal behaviour were
based on superstition.
○ People who behaved strangely were thought to be possessed by demons, to
be witches working with the devil, or to be victims of God’s punishment.
○ The rise of the medical model brought improvements in the treatment of
those who showed abnormal behaviour.
○ Although living conditions in early asylums were often terrible, progress was
made toward more humane care of people who were mentally ill.
● It has recently suggested that the medical model may have outlived its usefulness.
1
, ○ Some critics are troubled because medical diagnoses of abnormal behaviour
place potentially insulting labels on people.
■ Carries a social stigma that can be difficult to shake off.
● These stereotypes promote distancing, disdain and rejection.
○ This prejudice is a significant source of stress for people who suffer mental
illness.
○ The stigma associated with psychological disorders prevents many people
from seeking the mental health care they need and could benefit from.
● The stigma associated with psychological disorders appears to be deeply rooted.
○ Many psychological disorders are at least partly attributable to genetic and
biological factors, making them appear more similar to physical illnesses,
which carry far less stigma.
■ Psychiatric disorders have increased.
○ Biogenetic explanations have also led to increased tendencies to view
psychological disorders as untreatable, and to view affected individuals as
unpredictable and dangerous, which has led to greater stigma.
● Medical concepts such as diagnosis, aetiology and prognosis have proven to be
valuable in the treatment and study of abnormality.
○ Diagnosis: Involves distinguishing one illness from another.
○ Aetiology: The apparent causation and developmental history of an illness.
○ Prognosis: A forecast about the probable course of an illness.
● These medically based concepts have widely shared meanings that allow clinicians,
researchers and the public to communicate more effectively in their discussions
about abnormal behaviour.
Page 2
,Criteria of Abnormal Behaviour
● When making a diagnosis, clinicians rely on a variety of criteria.
Deviance:
● Behaviour deviates from what their society considers acceptable.
● When people violate these standards and expectations, they may be labelled
mentally ill.
○ Eg. Transvestic fetishism is a sexual disorder in which a man achieves
sexual arousal by dressing in women’s clothing.
○ This behaviour is regarded as disordered because a man who wears a
dress, bra and stockings is deviating from our culture’s norms.
● The example shows how the idea of normality changes over time:
○ It may have been considered abnormal for a Western woman to wear
trousers in history, but today this is standard practice.
Maladaptive Behaviour:
● People are judged to have a psychological disorder because their everyday
adaptive behaviour is impaired.
○ This is the key criterion in the diagnosis of substance use (drug) disorders.
● The use of alcohol and drugs is not terribly unusual or deviant.
○ When the use of cocaine begins to interfere with a person’s social or
occupational functioning, a substance use disorder exists.
Page 3
, Personal Distress:
● The diagnosis of a psychological disorder is based on an individual’s report of
great personal distress.
● Usually the criterion is met by people who are troubled by depression or anxiety
disorders.
● People are usually labelled as having a disorder when they describe their personal
pain and suffering to friends, relatives and mental health professionals.
● 2 or 3 criteria may apply in a particular case, people often viewed as disordered
when 1 criterion is met.
● Diagnosis of psychological disorders involve value judgements about what
represents normal or abnormal behaviour.
○ These judgements reflect dominant cultural values, social trends and political
forces, as well as scientific knowledge.
● “Normal versus abnormal” and “mental health versus mental illness” imply that
people can be divided neatly into two distinct groups
○ In reality, it is often difficult to draw a line that clearly separates normality
from abnormality.
○ People are judged to have psychological disorders only when their behaviour
becomes extremely deviant, maladaptive or distressing.
○ Normality and abnormality exist on a spectrum.
Page 4
